Brown Memorial Gets Reprieve

While many communities resolve the issue of aging arenas by building new ones, Green Bay, Wis., has decided to keep its 48-year-old Brown County Veterans Memorial Arena.

Facility operator PMI was granted another five-year lease to the arena at a Brown County Board meeting March 15th, with the knowledge that the venue brings entertainment to the area and fills up hotel rooms.

“The people of Brown County wanted these facilities run, and I believe we have a good deal here,” County Supervisor Tony Theisen said, according to the city’s Press-Gazette.

Brown County considered tearing down the arena and building something new. The building needs roof repairs and electrical updates as well as other maintenance issues.

The lease extends to operations of the arena, Resch Center, ShopKo Hall and the former Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame building, the paper said.

PMI pays rent to the county and the Packers Country Visitors & Convention Bureau to run the arena complex.

The new lease with PMI supercedes a previous deal with the county. It includes a $2.4 million drop in rental payments, which PMI said was necessary because of increasing costs and declining revenues.

Leading up to the finalization of the deal, PMI agreed to kick in extra cash if the county’s arena renovation fund runs dry.